Chapter 10 - Camilla’s Money Was Her Own Problem
Julian’s information about Camilla was partly true.
That did not absolve him.
Camilla had created a separate consulting LLC eighteen months earlier.
Price Narrative Partners.
She disclosed outside business generally.
But not that two Aurelia vendors paid it.
Total:
$214,000.
What services?
Executive positioning.
Crisis communications.
Brand strategy.
Some real.
Some questionable.
Did Julian direct payments?
Not all.
Camilla independently solicited at least one vendor.
Potential conflict.
Then she used portions for personal spending.
Legal if legitimately earned.
Problem if invoices disguised company-funded benefits.
Investigators separated.
Camilla had more agency than her cooperation narrative suggested.
She did not merely follow Julian.
She monetized access.
One email to vendor:
I can keep strategy comfortable if your scope needs extending.
That sounded like influence trading.
Then another:
J likes you. Keep me happy and the contract lives.
Bad.
Did Julian know?
He claimed no.
Camilla claimed he did.
No clear proof yet.
Then expenses for Audrey’s earrings.
Company reimbursed vendor.
Vendor purchased replacement earrings? Wait actual earrings stolen, but invoice disguised gift. Audit found payment chain maybe Julian had vendor issue fake invoice, then reimbursed cash to Mercer trust. The earrings themselves likely stolen from Audrey. Company reimbursement perhaps used to create false provenance for Camilla: Julian had a jewelry appraiser create invoice description matching them, then expense as corporate gift. So company paid $46,800 unnecessarily while Camilla got stolen jewelry. Double benefit.
Who designed?
Email from Julian to vendor:
Need invoice describing stakeholder gift. No serial detail.
Vendor principal agreed.
Why?
Julian controlled $2m annual contract.
Potential false invoicing.
Then necklace.
Auction proceeds to Mercer trust never completed because frozen.
Personal property case strong.
Julian’s attorney argued he believed broad estate authority allowed sale.
But directing proceeds to mother’s trust inconsistent.
Then Eleanor Mercer’s lawyer offered restitution and cooperation.
She claimed she believed funds were Julian’s personal repayments.
Did she question why vendor paid?
One email:
Eleanor: Why is Crescent sending this instead of you?
Julian: Tax/admin routing.
Eleanor: Fine.
Willful blindness perhaps.
Not proven conspiracy.
Civil clawback likely.
Then regulators became interested in Orchid because Aurelia publicly traded? We should decide. Maybe privately held? It has shareholders and board, could be private. If public, more securities complexity. Let's say private but widely held employee/institutional investors. Still fiduciary/corporate fraud. No SEC necessarily. Lenders and state/federal fraud can be involved. Keep.
Outside counsel referred certain findings to law enforcement because possible wire fraud, theft, false invoicing, trade-secret misuse? No trade-secret misuse in this story maybe confidential forecast withholding. We can make financial fraud. Authorities decide.
Julian was not arrested dramatically.
He received grand-jury/subpoena requests? Since public fresh? We can say prosecutors opened investigation.
Meanwhile Audrey’s divorce.
Julian sought spousal support?
He earned high income and had assets; unlikely. Property division.
Prenup enforced after challenge.
He claimed Northstar increased during marriage partly due marital support.
Prenup language waived claims.
Court reviewed validity.
Both had independent counsel when signed.
Likely enforce.
Then physical assault case.
Julian accepted misdemeanor plea? Maybe later. Security footage strong. He agrees diversion/anger intervention? Let's reserve.
Then Audrey’s relationship with her mother’s legacy.
Northstar name.
Helena had taught her to never confuse ownership with worth.
Audrey remembered argument before mother died.
Helena:
“You hide competence so men don’t feel threatened, then resent them for not seeing it.”
Audrey had been angry.
Now remembered.
Had she hidden from Julian?
Yes, somewhat.
She downplayed Northstar because Julian became competitive whenever she discussed investments.
Was that healthy?
No.
Did it cause his conduct?
No.
But relationship had become performance by both.
Julian performed dominance.
Audrey performed harmlessness.
Then Sarah asked:
“Why did you stay?”
Audrey hated question.
“Because he wasn’t always like party.”
No one is.
There were good years.
Julian supported her through Helena’s illness.
Cooked when she forgot to eat.
Sat outside hospice all night.
Did those memories become fake?
No.
Did they obligate future?
No.
Both.
Then Camilla requested meeting with Audrey.
Audrey initially refused.
Later agreed through lawyers.
Camilla arrived without red gown.
Plain suit.
No earrings.
First words:
“I wanted you to see me wearing them.”
“I know.”
“I’m ashamed.”
“Okay.”
Camilla flinched.
No comfort.
Then:
“I thought Julian chose me because I was ambitious and you weren’t.”
Audrey almost laughed.
“He told you that?”
“Yes.”
“What did you think I did?”
“Foundation. Investments.”
“You never asked.”
Camilla looked down.
Pattern.
People preferred version making them taller.
Then Audrey asked:
“Did you know about Orchid’s real internal forecast?”
Camilla hesitated.
“Yes.”
“How early?”
“Two months before party.”
“Did you help hide it?”
“I advised Julian not to circulate it broadly until transaction narrative was settled.”
There.
Corporate misconduct.
Then:
“Why?”
“My bonus. His promotion. And I believed Helix would be better outside Aurelia.”
Not pure greed.
Strategy belief plus self-interest.
Then Camilla said:
“There’s something Julian doesn’t know I saved.”
A backup of his private presentation.
Title:
AFTER ORCHID.
One slide:
EXECUTIVE CLEANUP.
Malcolm — retirement.
Daniel — retain through transition.
Camilla — president, communications/newco.
Audrey — separate family finances before disclosure.
Eleanor — board observer through Meridian.
Audrey stared.
Where was Julian?
CEO of spun-out Helix.
This was not merely investment.
May you like
He planned to leave Aurelia after stripping its most valuable division.
Cliffhanger: Camilla’s hidden presentation showed Julian never intended to remain Aurelia’s president for long—Project Orchid was designed to move Helix out, install Julian as CEO of the new company, and leave Audrey to discover the conflict only after the valuable asset was gone.
